


A revenge so sweet yet so bitter

by Zerovk (Chunjixbyungie)



Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: M/M, Plot Twists, Revenge, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-08-24 16:03:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8378569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chunjixbyungie/pseuds/Zerovk
Summary: I don't really care who she chooses for a partner as long as he is good enough for her . that of course after we ensure the purity of our line . However , for that person to simply be zero Kiryu .. It grates on my nerves . KxZ . ZxK  .





	1. Prolouge

 

I stand by the window and watch as the dying sun dissolves bleeding and painting the horizon in a mixture of different colors .

It won't be long before nightfall .

I watch her retreating figure growing farther and farther away .

I watch the long strands of brown hair sway as she makes her way to him .

_Yuki .._

As precious as she is , I don't love her in a romantic sense .

I have always felt guilty not returning her feelings until .. Until she came to me , hesitant and nervous , confessing her feelings for another .

I don't really care who she chooses for a partner as long as he is good enough for her . After we ensure the purity of our line , that is .

However , for that person to simply be Zero Kiryu .. It grates on my nerves .

 _Let the poor boy be ._ Something inside me chided Which I found rather surprising . After all , My sympathetic side rarely manifests . And when it does , I truly find it astounding . Lost in thought , I took a moment to digest all of the conflicting emotions and swirling rage , letting out the softest of sighs as I allowed my eyes a moment of serenity and darkness , only to have them open again though welcoming an all too similar canvas . Night .. and Dark ..

Briskly , I let the velvet curtain slip through my fingers and walked towards the study table .

The darkness caressed every inch of the room with such abrupt intensity I felt it would consume and swallow me up , had I not been the king of darkness itself . Swiftly , I turned my gaze towards the chess board resting atop the said table , contemplating my next move .

I could almost hear a slow symphony reverberating about the darkness , gaining volume and vigor with each passing second .

And then all of a sudden , It hit crescendo making me shiver despite myself .

I opened my eyes wondering when had I even closed them .

After a moment or so , my fingers gently glided over the chess pieces almost as if touching a child , contradicting the brewing storm I felt inside . And It's then that I decided .

I did not just spend all of those years waiting to end up alone .

No . No , zero kiryu , I won't let you have what's rightfully mine regardless of everything else .

 

**. . . . . . . . . . . .vk**

 

As she sauntered her way to zero's room , Yuki couldn't help but think .

She had always thought of kaname as her savior , her crush .

However ..

Her steps came to a halt at that point .

Ever since she awakened , a lot has changed .

The man she spent all those years thinking of as her savior , blushing when she met , was in fact her brother all along .

she was a VAMPIRE for heaven's !

And .. And zero a vampire hunter .

Why did everything have to be so complicated ?!

She was this close to screaming but knew better .

Sometimes she felt like curling into a ball , crying her eyes out as she shook her head at how it had all escalated .

It felt sad somehow . She could tell that kaname's feelings for her did not and will not surpass brotherly love . And that .. Kind of hurt .

 _It shouldn't matter ._ she kept telling herself .

It shouldn't , especially when she herself couldn't exactly put a name to her own feelings towards him anymore .

But .. Truth is .. It did matter . And her own conflicted emotions hardly made it hurt any less .

She then resumed her walk , her pace slower that time only to have her steps come to a halt again . She lifted her head , sighing when she noticed how close she was to a certain silverette's room .

Awhile ago, she confessed to kaname saying she might have possibly harbored some feelings towards her adoptive brother . Even though deep inside , she wasn't quite sure anymore . Whatever she felt towards either of them was no longer clear . Was it love ? or friendship ? or a family bond ? was it adoration she felt towards Kaname ? just that ? or something more ? Could she really admit it to herself now that she knows everything ? could she really love her brother like that ? yea that was no big deal in the vampires' world but .. She spent her whole life living as a human and human girls don't love their brothers .. At least you don't hear it every day that two siblings love each other .

on the other hand , Zero .. Zero had a very special place in her heart.. she always felt like holding him close keeping him safe and giving him all the love he deserved but never had a chance to feel .. Was that love ? or just her thinking of him as the brother she never had ?

Whatever it was , She could tell - the same way she could tell that kaname's feelings did not surpass brotherly love - that zero's case won't be too different .

But that didn't stop her from blurting out such confession . Before she knew it , she was already sneaking inside her adoptive brother's room . the brunette quickly scanned the room searching for a familiar mop of silver hair . She already had a feeling he would be asleep and true enough , Zero's even breathing and heart rate confirmed her assumptions .

She sat on the floor appreciating how the moonlight glowed beautifully framing most of the hunter's face .

_He looks like an angel ._

she thought to herself , Smiling softly . But then another thought hit her .

_However , no one here is . We are all guilty ._

Narrowing her chocolate brown eyes , Yuki stared off into the distance almost as if hypnotized or even possessed . She could only speak for herself and she knew .. she was no longer the innocent human girl she once was ..

This is bound to give me a headache . the pureblood princess thought ruefully .

True enough , almost instantly , she groaned , already feeling a headache gnawing at her nerves . It's then that she decided to take her leave . After all , If zero were to wake up and find her in that situation , things would get - in the least of terms - awkward .

 

**. . . . . . . . . . . .vk**

 

Lilac eyes snapped open . Zero woke up sensing a vampire nearby . And not just any vampire .

_Her ._

 

She must have tried her best to conceal her presence and scent which explains why it took him some time to wake up and notice despite her lingering scent .

He found himself smiling softly and shaking his head as he thought of her .

To think that he did - at some point - believe he was in love with her .

It took him too long to realize he might have confused himself interpreting his feelings all those years .

After all , what does he know about actual love ?

It only makes sense he got attached to her seeing as how she happened to be the first pure human contact he got to interact with after that incident .

 _And now she is .. gone ._ he told himself .

He liked to make things easier for himself and thinking of her as an enemy would save him a lot of troubles , confusion and confrontations .

He then stopped to think of his own life so far .

Sometimes he felt like the only thing stopping him from committing suicide is the fact he liked to think of himself as stronger than that .. Which was - in all verity - quite pathetic .

He needed a trigger , a purpose , perhaps something impossible . Yea . the more impossible it is , the more it would fuel him to go on .

And not for the first time . he thinks of giving something a try .

With determined eyes , he gazed at his own wrist , his veins to be exact .

In my veins dance both of your bloods .

Power .

Power I suppressed .

I think it's finally time I make use of it .

 

 

**. . . . . . . . . . . .vk**

**A/N**

This is my first time writing here and kxz at that .

After spending a lot of time obsessing over that couple , I finally decided to give writing them a try ~

I can safely say this is a short fic and since I do write for other fandom on other site , I would like you all to know that I will update when I have time that's why I won't make promises about fast updates .

 


	2. chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reflections ( Inner thoughts )

 

**Disclaimer : I do not own vampire knight in any way , shape or form .However , I do own the plot of this fic in a sense that the events which did not happen in the actual manga / anime are purely mine . Some actions that took place in the original VK may be twisted to aid the story's demands ~**

**Trigger warning : hm none so far . I can safely say that my writing ain't too graphic to need a warning . However , if general mentions of blood , gore , sexual scenes require a warning then yea , this ain't a fluffy fic after all .**

**Random announcement : I just recently got my AO3 invitation and posted some of my fics there ( mostly my kpop ones ) You're free to check them out if you 're into kpop especially Teen top . My username there is Chunjixbyungie or zerovk ( for my vampire knight fic )**

 

* * *

 

A certain silverette leaned on the headboard of his bed , absently brushing his fingers through his hair .

Ever since yuki unexpectedly paid him a visit , sleep never graced him with its appearance .

An unpleasant memory flashed before Zero's eyes as he thought of the said vampire princess .

" _The only reason you are able to protect yuki is because of my blood coursing through your veins . I know you always thought it was you . But really , it has always been me protecting her . "_

" Bastard . " The hunter scowled and repeated his words from back then with a fair amount of contempt .

The silverette hated those words , they made his blood boil to a point of no return because of the obvious fact they were bound to get on anyone's nerves ..And well , because to - some extent - , they were true . If it weren't for that venom kuran calls blood , Zero would have long bid farewell to his sanity , having been reduced to a crazed monster that could only think of one thing , bloodthirst . While Kuran's powerful carmine had slowed down the descent to madness , it brought with it more harm than good . If Zero knew he would constantly be reminded of the fact it was only thanks to a pureblood's help that he was able to protect one of the people he cared for , he would have never agreed to that .. Would have fought the thirst ..But the bastard had to play with that card , fishing in dirty water , using yuki along with zero's need of blood to force the hunter on it .

" Maybe kuran was right .. " the hunter choked out as he felt an overwhelming weight on his shoulders .. What was it ? Regret ? Grief ? … He wasn't sure but it certainly wasn't anything good .

Whatever he was feeling at that moment pulled at his heartstrings and tormented soul .. Slowly sucking his sanity out of him until there was left nothing but an empty shell . Everything spiraled together in a way that only worked to further agitate his dark thoughts feeding his soul with lies that he couldn't tolerate . A tangling mess .

Sighing softly , he resumed speaking to himself , eyes devoid of emotion and mind wandering in a haze

" Maybe I hated hearing those words because I didn't want to believe them . I didn't want to admit it .. "

I couldn't protect yuki .. I couldn't protect my family .. My parents .. Ichiru .. I .. I'm Helpless ..

" Shit ! " Slamming a hand on his face , Zero cursed as he bit down on his lips , hard , drawing blood in the process .

The metallic scent wafted in the room awakening senses he wished he never had .. He squeezed his eyes shut despising the fact they were - without doubt - glowing an intense red .

As if he needed a reminder of the worst feeling ever - thirst - .. Of blood .. _**His**_ blood .

He truly loathed that existence , with a passion stronger than that towards even Shizuka herself . Because in her case , he could at least blame everything on the fact she was called the mad blooming princess ..

However , Kuran .. Kuran , without an ounce of remorse or hesitation for that matter , had assigned Zero to a role the hunter never even asked for , to nurture every single step in his own scheme , a pawn to protect his beloved sister and rid him of the bane of his existence , namely , Rido !

If there was one thing Zero despised then it was getting used and not having a choice of his own . And the fact he was being played like a pawn for a fucking pureblood at that , did not help .

Hate doesn't even begin to capture what he truly felt whenever a certain brown haired pureblood crossed his mind .

He hated the fact he was playing in kuran's hands , aiding those schemes instead of obliterating them . Because he had no other choice .. It was either do or wreak havoc on anyone close to him .. You might say he could have ended it all .. But he couldn't .. Every Time he thought of killing himself , yuki's face would appear before his eyes shocking him back to his senses imprisoning him in that wretched life .

However , living and surviving came with a price .. A very tragic one . Much the same as everything else in his life so far ..

At first , Zero's hate towards vampires and purebloods in particular was generalized . It was only natural to feel that way after all .

His parents' death by the hands of Shizuka Hio had been the first spark that ignited his hatred , killed his innocence and forced his childhood into a sudden halt , tore him apart from his family , robbed him of his twin . At that time , he was convinced no one would ever take Shizuka's place in his heart , a very special one born and raised in darkness .

. Eventually though , he found himself despising everything about kuran , for being a pureblood vampire , the most manipulative of which , rousing Zero's vengeful spirit . Moreover , his odd fascination towards yuki had Zero perplexed beyond belief and that soon fueled the enmity between them .

But it was obviously not just about yuki , at least not completely . Kuran never spared a moment to antagonize the silverette about the fact he couldn't control his thirst or how he was actually the true beast amongst them seeing as how he failed to put a leash on his vampire side . The hunter could swear kuran must have felt pure joy doing such thing , shoving it in his face that he was no better . Blaming him for biting yuki ..

As if he needed that .. Back then , Zero had felt the tendrils of guilt swirl around his whole being threatening to suffocate him to death in a manner that ironically reminded him of the vines of his own gun - .

The sight of yuki , all knocked out and lying vulnerably in kuran's embrace .. Having been drained by him … It was like a punch in the gut followed by a knife getting shoved straight into his abdomen , bones breaking and arms twisting … All combined .. frozen and too guilty to be talking , Zero stood in total shock as he watched Kuran glare at him , eyes red and foreboding , accusing , promising a fate worse than death .. The look you would give someone who dared to bring harm to one of your family members .

That look.. He should have been the one giving it to kuran .. He should have controlled his thirst , should have protected yuki and his own humanity…

frowning deeply , the silver haired hunter rubbed his face in a worn out manner as he felt an impending headache make itself known .

It was getting to a point where those memories started to physically pain him . However , he needed a closure . He needed to sort things out , at least with himself .

In short , he couldn't and most definitely would never be able to stress just how much he hated every single thing about kuran . To make it worse , that fucker just had to ruin everything , take away the only light in Zero's life for good , when he turned yuki .. But he didn't exactly turn her .. right ?

He just.. reawakened her ..His sister .. A kuran pureblood princess ..

That was by far the greatest shock ever in Zero's life . Though maybe it shouldn't have affected him that much . After all , his life was mainly comprised of that .. A shocking twist after the other .. What could be waiting , he had no idea and planned to keep it that way for quite some time .

He was in no way ready for the next blow .

He needed that time to recuperate . However , something inside him knew that things wouldn't go the way he liked . As long as purebloods existed , especially the insufferable Kuran kaname , the likes of zero would continue to live in misery .

That bloodsucker is nothing but a freaking sadistic creature that enjoys antagonizing others because he can't stand the idea of suffering alone . Though I myself highly doubt that brat is even capable of suffering . But that negates my previous statement .. Kuran and suffering though .. Those words can never cross paths . Sins yea .. But suffering ? No .

A swirling mass of darkness seemed to encompass the atmosphere as a certain hunter once again surrendered to the ever growing abyss that took over his mind most of the time ..

**_suicidal thoughts ._ **

Thinking of that did not signify weakness and Zero would personally take immense pleasure in shooting anyone who dares say otherwise . He was not weak .. It's not that he couldn't stand some pain . No . A lifetime worth of agony cannot just be called 'some pain' . So yes .. It shouldn't be deemed as a sign of weakness .. Because he'd reached his limit and it was only natural to break down after having endured so much pain , loss and hardships . Besides , what if it was weakness ? What was so bad about having a weakness ? Even vampires , with their immortal bullshit and all , have weaknesses . So why can't he ? No one is perfect or invincible . Honestly , he'd reached a point where he became too indifferent to care about people and what they might think . Not that he used to care about that any ways .

_But well .. Whatever .._

With a deep and rather prolonged sigh , the silver haired hunter dropped his head back on the pillow attempting to relax .

Going back to Sleep seemed like a perfect thing to do at that moment , considering how thoroughly exhausted he was feeling because of thinking too much .

**...….VK**

 

Somewhere else , in the moon dormitory , Kaname relaxed in his seat , enjoying a rare moment of serenity , or at least a semblance of it outwardly . Inside though , his mind was whirling with different emotions , thoughts and plans .

At first , Rido Kuran awakened him , a pureblood ancestor , and consequently forged a bond between them , becoming his 'master ' and thus ensuring Kaname would never be able to kill him .

Replacing the newborn kaname kuran was all part of Rido's plan , thinking he could outsmart an ancestor . _How stupid !_ Kaname let him believe that though and eventually grew up , as Yuki's brother .

He did not plan to get attached to her or anyone for that matter .. But somewhere down the line , after her soothing voice and gentle touch had reached through his heart in a way that reminded him of **h** **e** **r** , he found immense comfort in the kuran princess . He truly did care for Yuki even though he was not her actual brother and despite his intentions of letting no one inside his heart .

Yuki , oblivious to the fact kaname was not her actual brother , had always taken it upon her shoulder to look after him , treating him like he was the younger one , as if he was as fragile and delicate as a rose that needed a gentle touch , care and love . Even now he could hear her speaking to him in a soft tone , telling him it was gonna be okay as she took him in her embrace and patted his head like a mother would do her child after having a nightmare .

He could still feel her touch , those small limbs as they curled around him , that warmth , that love .. that pureness .. as opposed to kaname's world of darkness . The blank expression he had on whenever she did that signified his confusion . He couldn't understand how anyone would want to comfort him .. Hell he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact he , an ancestor , was letting a young girl treat him like that . And the strangest of all is the fact he later realized that he did need it .. while yuki saw it as reassuring her brother who'd been having nightmares , kaname himself was battling against his own past , blaming himself for everything whether he deserved it or not .

Even though reawakened as a child , kaname still possessed his mature side , his mentality was that of a vampire that lived for thousands of years , an ancestor . No one would ever be able to understand that and no words could ever fit to describe what he went through as a child when he was far from that .

Bit by bit , ruby colored eyes gazed downwards , eventually closing . Kaname heaved a deep sigh as he recalled those times , a serene expression planted on his face as he swirled the pen between his delicate fingers . And oddly enough , even the small action had a lot to offer , exuding a wave of control , confidence and dominance .

After quite some time , kaname opened his eyes again , gazing upwards as he resumed his brief yet eventful visit down the memory lane .

He'd forgotten to mention two of the most important people in his life though .

Yuki's parents , Juuri and Haruka treated him as their son even though they knew the truth and in a way , he felt like the least he could do to repay their kindness was become just that - for real - their son .

Soon , The kuran became his loving family that he vowed to protect with all his might . However and as if on purpose , Fate chose to shatter that vow on a certain bleaky night when Rido emerged , planning to take a certain princess away . It's true that he failed to take Yuki back then but it came with a price .. he had succeeded in killing Haruka and revealed that , despite Kaname's strong desire to kill him , he would not be able to because of the bond .

It was some time later that Juuri sacrificed herself to protect Yuki from Rido , by sealing her vampire side and erasing her memories . Juuri's dying wish was for kaname to look after her daughter . And he did just that - leaving the little girl in Kaein cross' care –

Deep inside though , he wanted to look after the girl from afar which demanded he attends Cross academy . he'd also be Following haruka and Juri's example by doing that which further encouraged him to do so . However , he did not expect that a filthy level E would randomly threaten his yuki's life on one snowy night and thus forcing him to take action and save her . Though thinking back , he was kind of grateful . Even the most critical and bizarre of situations could turn out to be highly beneficial . After that night , the ' human ' Yuki started to view him as her savior and whatnot , got chronically attached to him in a way that both pleased and hurt him immensely ..

As time passed , Kaname spent years not knowing how to take Rido down until his eyes landed on the kiryuu twins . A sinfully dark and extremely immoral plan formulated in his brain right after that day / night . He knew it would take a painfully long time and perfect accuracy to make sure his plan came to fruition and that he didn't mind . After all , he was no stranger to waiting and could easily manipulate any situation to his liking .

Now everything has fallen into place . It's been awhile since the day he had been waiting for his whole life finally came - reawakening yuki - yet something still seemed to be missing , if the persistent feeling gnawing deep inside his very soul was any indication .

And he'd a faint idea what that was . The girl he'd spent his whole life trying to protect .. just slipped through his fingers like thin air . Even though he'd already established the fact he in no way felt romantically towards Yuki , he couldn't stand the idea of having her attention sway somewhere else , especially not towards his own pawn . _Bizarre ._

Kaname loathed to admit it but .. His lofty arrogance refused to come in the second place even if it was a position that held no interest to him .

It was downright selfish of him , he knew . Gruesome , even . _Sinful ._

_However , wasn't the core of his very existence ?_

_He'd already sinned too many times to the point of losing count . He'd gotten himself entangled in a world of sin . If one would be honest , it was a little too late to start doing the right thing ._

_Which was now crystal clear , But he couldn't bring himself to do it . He couldn't let her go ._

 

**..…..VK**

 

A certain caramel haired vampire stood by the gates of the night class dormitory , gracefully leaning on the closest tree as she waited for a certain princess to start acting like one and show up soon .

It goes without saying that Ruka dislikes Yuki for many reasons .

First , it was because of the attention kaname had showered yuki with despite her being a human . Secondly , because of yuki turning out to be kaname's sister , Ruka found herself obliged to respect that girl she used to ponder every day and night on why kaname cared so much for . But deep inside she had no genuine respect or loyalty towards the pureblood princess . She still secretly viewed the girl as less than the rest of the night class , always reckless and acting nowhere near a pureblood . To the point she wished she could remind her she was a pureblood and thus was expected to act accordingly.

Seething inside , the usually nonchalant vampire clenched her fists as she picked up on a familiar presence nearby , the one she'd been waiting for .

As free spirited as ever , yuki's figure emerged , approaching the other female , a deceptively innocent expression creeping up to her face . which somehow managed to rile Ruka up even more , if that was possible . Footsteps fell on dry leaves causing a crunch to resonate about the area , the sound reverbrating about ringing in both of their hyper sensitive ears .

Slowly pushing her body off the tree , the caramel haired vampire politely nodded , a silent form of greeting . Something she'd rather not do if the choice was hers . But it wasn't . Yuki was not just the human Yuki cross . She was a kuran , a pureblood princess , her position higher than Ruka herself . _The realization left a bitter aftertaste_. As if that girl needed more power when she was already granted the one thing Ruka wished every night and day for , Lord kaname's undivided attention .

The two females held eyes , portraying a great deal of their mutual dislike , for the lack of a better word .

Their encounter soon turned into the most heated silent or not so silent argument .

It was one of the times when Ruka was reminding Yuki of her pureblood status. But then the said pureblood did something unexpected .

Yuki , as surprising as it might be , still preserved some of the sweetness she had as a human though now it was coupled with a malicious side to it consequently shaping her character into a very unique blend of the two .

Swiftly , she leaned closer whispering in her dark and twisted yet soft voice " Dear Ruka , you should know that my existence is not what makes my brother out of your reach . "

 

* * *

**A/N :**

**Yay ! I can't believe I'm about to post this !**

**I know it is short but I just really wanted to update and gain ideas from any review I may get .**

**There might have been a lot of room for improvement in this chapter ( more details ) but once again , I just really wanted to update ~**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this ~**

 


	3. chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My sin

 

**Disclaimer : I do not own vampire knight in any way possible .**

**Warning : I just realized I should have warned you guys that this fic contains a lot of spoilers for those who didn't read the manga or completed the anime .**

**Ever wondered how Kaname would look like in real life ?**

**I have a little surprise for you guys ~**

**Check this out**

 

 

 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkbLy1ANB-8>

 

* * *

 

 

Ruka's eyes twitched as she processed those words rolling off the pureblood's tongue with an edge of pity . something that didn't sit well with the caramel haired noble at all . The idea of it alone shredded at her nerves . She didn't appreciate the way Yuki said those words with an air of wisdom like she knew all that was there to know when in fact , that was far from true . No one .. No one knew what it felt like to be in love with Lord kaname and constantly be denied the pleasure of having such feelings returned . No one .

No one knew the pain , the agony , the desperation ..

It was few seconds later that Yuki pulled away , her chocolate brown eyes randomly darting upwards , settling on a certain window when she noticed a familiar male with fiery amber hair - the color of sunset - .

A knowing smile instantly made its way to her small face as she exchanged a brief look with Akatsuki Kain .

But the noble didn't seem to like the way such smile looked utterly patronizing . He was this close to stepping away when she noticed him staring down as if stalking the whole scene but knew better . After all , he did nothing wrong nor was he actually intending to witness that exchange . So he stayed still , merely observing how the girl they all deemed to be the epitome of naivety now seemed to be the one privy to each and every single secret of theirs and they - on the other hand - could no longer read her unlike the past . Put simply , The tables were turned ..Drastically .

Who knew ? Who knew such escalation of events would take place ?

But maybe it shouldn't have come as a surprise . After all , Lord Kaname's odd fascination towards the girl in question was a little too suspicious .. Her features .. Her features should have alerted them .. The resemblance .. How could they have not noticed it ? Especially since they did , on more than one occasion , witness both of the kuran siblings together up close ..

His thoughts were forced into a halt though as he once again met those sienna colored orbs . The pureblood princess sent him another knowing look then proceeded with the matter at hand , namely , Ruka Souen .

Kain frowned at that , his fingers unconsciously tightening on the velvet curtains as he did so .

Yuki , She seemed to know far too much about things of deep importance to them which was unsettling if he was gonna be honest . And that's especially why he found himself grateful that even his hyper sensitive vampire ears failed to catch whatever the not so innocent pureblood princess just whispered into Ruka's ears .

Speaking of which , the female noble , despite catching the way those deceptively innocent eyes of Yuki gazed upwards , did nothing to figure out who exactly seemed to draw the pureblood princess' attention .

However , it's not like such thing was necessary . for Yuki's next words did a pretty good job giving the female noble a hint or well , a dead giveaway .

" I wonder when , or better said , if you'll ever realize that you have been searching for love in the wrong place all along and in doing so , you'll end up losing the very one person who truly loves you with all of his heart ."

Yuki eloquently pointed out , a part of her truly wishing for the noble to stop waiting for something she would never have , ( something as far fetched as Kaname's heart . )

However , another part of her seemed to take pleasure in finally being able to stand up for herself , to be taken seriously and to be feared , whether such thing showed or not . She knew just how intimidating she'd become . How influential !

The two females spent few silent moments staring at each other as if not holding eye-contact meant losing , the sheer honesty decorating the air at such moment came as a shock to both of which . They may have disliked each other , still . Those words were not just meant to provoke or antagonize .. They held a very sincere advice . An advice coming from someone who knew so much about a certain brown haired pureblood . Someone who has been there .. And still is , caught in the midst of a raging confusion .

the noble in question felt her heart skip a beat at that . But she kept her poker face on , refusing to let someone as clueless as Yuki cross lecture her about love . Yes , Yuki cross . She'd forever be that in her eyes . Nonetheless , somewhere in the back of her mind , insecurities reared its ugly head , having been awakened by the other female's words .

Could it be ? Even if Yuki was not present , would lord Kaname still be out of Ruka's reach ? But .. he did prefer her blood , right ? Or .. Was she deluding herself into it ? Was it the ache inside her , urging and craving to complete the bond ?

Furthermore , she knew .. who those words referred to ..

It was not a matter of knowing or not .. She was not blind to her cousin's affection . However , she didn't have a choice . Her heart yearned for the one thing she couldn't have , the one person out of her reach .

The sound of footsteps echoing about snapped the noble out of her thoughts and before she knew it , the pureblood was already making her way inside the building .

" And whether I decide to spend the night in the day class dormitory or here does not concern you , Ruka . " Yuki warned as she pushed past the other female , her voice calm and gentle , contradicting the weight those words held .

From above , Kain continued to watch , eyes narrowing in conflicted emotions as he gazed down at the one girl that stole his heart and mind , wondering when exactly his feelings started to change or well , falter .. Much the same like the light of a candle flickering every once in awhile until there was left nothing but the ashes of what was once about ..

Whatever passion that once burned inside of him towards her truly ended up consuming him , just like a fire would , eating everything in its way .

Sighing in a rather dismissive manner , the fiery haired noble pulled away and turned around facing the other occupants of the room who didn't seem to notice anything , much to his relief , including his inner turmoil . His cousin , Hanabusa was lying on a couch , engrossed in a book he was reading whilst Takuma silently sat on the other one with a sleeping Senri lying on his lap . Rima was in her room , Akatsuki guessed , probably brushing her silky pastel ginger hair or trying on different outfits .

It might seem like nothing much has changed when in fact , a lot has . Actually , everything has changed . Even Hanabusa's craze seemed to have toned down , the lord - kaname - worshiping -era . Of course , that was not to say they were no longer recognizable . No . However , they have all went through a drastic change that lingered after a certain silver haired hunter defeated Rido . From then on-wards , everything went down hill .

 

**......Vk**

 

After quite some time , a blonde noble with emerald eyes excused himself and proceeded gently moving the mahogany haired male on his lap so as not to disturb his sleep .

Takuma strolled down the hallway of the moon dorm carrying the still sleeping Shiki towards his room as he contemplated a certain issue .

Despite how much it seemed otherwise , Senri was the most one affected by the .. the catastrophic events that took place . He and Rima have spent a good portion of time away , disappearing for a while but eventually came back , different and even more mysterious .

Sighing in exasperation , the blonde noble reached with his shaky fingers , the cold tips coming in contact with his forehead as he gazed down the male on bed , slumbering like a marionette meant for an aesthetic show .

 

**.......Vk**

 

Steady and relaxed footsteps echoed about the hallway , approaching a certain room .

Takuma stopped as he reached his destination , his eyes landing on the door he used to knock out of manners even though he was the closest to the owner of such room .

Sometimes , however , he didn't bother knocking because of how familiar they were . Now though he fought the itch to slam the door open and waltz inside - not because of familiarity but due to losing respect for the pureblood inside - .

After a moment of calming himself down , he managed a swift knock and waited . He knew his presence must have already been sensed any ways . And that there was no going back . _He had to do this ._

After a minute or so , he was finally granted permission inside .

The first thing Takuma noticed as he entered was how pitch black the room was , it seemed to be drowning in an ocean of darkness and while it was true that vampires had very sharp eyesight , Kaname 's room never looked so dark before . And that was not all .

Takuma inched closer to the study table where he could faintly make out the pureblood's silhouette . If it wasn't for the fact he knew for sure and felt the other's presence there , he would have thought that he was alone in the room . Though not entirely .. The gust of wind whispered promises of misery , The curtains fluttered and billowed ever so softly , allowing pearly streaks of moonlight to sneak inside and highlight the pureblood's ethereal features .

Emerald met garnet and a silent inquiry hung in the air .

With a blink , Kaname seemed to ask about the reason behind such visit . He , after all , did not summon the noble which meant one thing .

The pureblood only watched as Takuma's eyes slowly landed on the wooden board , the knight , queen and king .

 _He is up to something again ,_ The noble concluded .

_Most definitely no good ._

His stomach coiled at the thought of it alone .

But that did not signify terror . After all , he did not fear kaname in that way and wouldn't start now . The kind of fear he felt squeezing at his insides was not the instinctive one that naturally came with being a lesser vampire .

At least , he liked to believe that . He was different after all , right ? He was Takuma Ichijou , Kuran kaname's childhood friend . He gave a new meaning to loyalty .. the person kaname confides in the most . Right ? If that didn't give him privileges then what would ?

Though maybe his whole conceptions of loyalty , friendship or companionship weren't too accurate .. They have been viciously destroyed the moment he found himself betrayed by the one person he himself would have risked everything including his life to protect .

Though maybe he should . or maybe he did . Maybe behind those carefully crafted smiles , existed a fear so discreet it shied away from the light , kept in hiding , skillfully concealing itself from even himself . It wouldn't be surprising after all . No matter how close one might get to them , purebloods are to be feared .

.. Maybe deep inside , he truly did fear the pureblood but never had a chance to feel or show it . simply because there was no reason to . He'd seen kaname in his worst , had seen him rage and break down and during all of those times he was never at the receiving end of Kaname's wrath .

But that has changed ..

Ever since that ..tragedy .. He found himself fearing the man in front him in a sense profoundly sentimental . He feared .. Who the next victim might be .

He feared the aftermath , the shock , disappointment and feeling of betrayal hanging over his shoulders like dead-weight denying him escape , restraining his movements , enslaving him to a world of darkness too deep he would have no chance of ever making it to the shore again .

He feared losing a friend that at some point , meant so much to him he never saw that coming . Though maybe they were way past that stage .. Yea .. Maybe he'd already lost two of the most important people in his life and at the same time no less .

Kaname , already knowing that the blonde would not be able to initiate the conversation despite being the one to seek it , wondered out loud asking Takuma what he would have done if things were reversed ..

If Sara had succeeded in killing him .

He was using reverse psychology but Takuma knew kaname wasn't saying that to show vulnerability , nor was it an attempt at lacing together threads of guilt around the noble's throat ..

Not even an excuse for his deeds . After all , it was in his power to avoid her killing him if he so wished , without having to kill her in return .

And Takuma would have preferred that , genuinely believing there could be some way to it without anyone getting killed . But kaname was not Takuma .

He knew what he'd done .

Some people might call it a killing spree , a purge of sorts .

When in fact it was the one thing he spent his whole painful life , striving to achieve . Besides , He was convinced - to a great extent - that Takuma didn't actually have any sort of affection towards Sara , at least not genuine .

And if he had then well .. he was just going to have to live with it .

Now they had one more thing in common - having to endure the loss of a special one and knowing there was nothing they could do about it - .

Actually and thinking back , Some twisted part of him all but sighed in satisfaction as he realized something .

Now finally , someone knew exactly what it feels like ..

Was it too much he couldn't help but drag someone else with him ?

Someone special , someone loyal - The closest to a friend - .

_And who better to share pain with than a friend ?_

But that would mean he was no better than Rido , right ?

No .. He was different . He didn't kill Sara to torment Takuma or anyone for that matter .

As minutes dragged by , Takuma cleared his throat and blurted out , depite knowing that the pureblood's question was a rhetorical one .

Reversed or not , Takuma couldn't care less . The final outcome was too harsh . He couldn't imagine what would have happened if it was Kaname getting killed but he knew one thing for sure .

" Well , they say ; you reap what you sow , Kaname . "

Takuma stated fearlessly making a fine brown eyebrow raise at that .

Things had been understandably precarious between them after that incident and all ..but the pureblood couldn't help the slight surprise taking over his features as he heard that . It still felt too foreign hearing that tone and those words in particular from Takuma of all people . Though maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising .

Kaname's expression remained unchanged for the most part , and If it were anyone else , they wouldn't have noticed . But it is Takuma we are talking about . He did catch the brief display of emotions dancing in the brunette's eyes .

Somehow , witnessing that imperceptible flash of surprise flicker in the pureblood's eyes managed to infuriate Takuma more than anything .

 _He had the nerve to feel surprised !_ After all that had transpired , kaname found it surprising to hear that tone from him . Had he really imagined , no , deluded himself into thinking that friendship or loyalty could stay intact after such thing ?

Kaname's lips curled upwards ever so slightly , a smirk of sorts , the hidden meaning behind it only known to the purebood himself . Soon enough , the brunette heaved a deep breath and then retorted back calmly " I suppose we all do . "

With unrivaled grace , Kaname rose to his feet , his movements a thin line between intimidating and foreboding on one hand and on the other , calm , harmless , when in fact , he was nothing but a gruesome predator .

Takuma followed the other's movements with his eyes , a calm and rather calculating yet resigned expression planted on his weary face .

There's glint of malevolence shining in those russet eyes that made Takuma wonder if some part in the pureblood relished in how such action further emphasized his superiority , if that was possible .

" However , sometimes other people do that on our behalf " Thee brunette added before striding his way out of the room .

_My sin is yours for the reaping , Zero Kiryuu ._

 

**.......Vk**

 

Walking down the hallway that no one else used except for Ruka sometimes and now Yuki , Kaname 's mind replayed the earlier conversation he had with a certain noble . The narrow hallway had no windows and was only decorated with candle lights flickering every so often . With each step the pureblood took , a pair of candles dulled and struggled then gave out , surrendering to the dark forced on them by the pureblood's lethal presence . And Kaname hardly cared about that . He kept mulling over that thing .

_I have brought balance to this world by doing so . After all , a place so peaceful and bright , with only joy and pureness dictating it , would never last . there should always be Light and Darkness . Love and Hate . Good and Evil . Miracles and Tragedies ._

_Without such beauty of two extremes , the world would be mundane - a battlefield with no army , no blood , no scent of war or destruction prevailing . A scenery with no colors , greenery with no withering petals . A life with no Autumn ._

_Love hinders . Love weakens . Yuki was a perfect example of that ._

_In contrast , hate nourishes . Hate strengthens . Hate overpowers all else ._

He couldn't care less if the silver haired hunter loathed him to no end . After all , as long as he had Yuki's love , nothing else mattered .

It was a sin , the most unforgivable of which , he knew . And that's exactly why he sought it out . He couldn't repent . He couldn't pave the road to a better , righteous version of himself . Because what lies in wait is sure to be forgiveness and that he did not deserve .

His steps came to a halt at that . Why was he justifying his actions then ? Why claim he'd brought peace by doing such deeds ?

Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of his self-condemnation ?

Ah .. right .. Surely he wouldn't parade about , openly revealing what he'd done . After all , his guilt was something for his to keep and live with , nobody else' s .. He'd carefully cradled and concealed it despite knowing how much it felt the same as holding liquid fire close to his heart – the same way he'd embraced his self-condemnation and firm conviction that he was to sin over and over again so that no amount of repenting would atone for the myriad , the mountain-worth of sins he'd accumulated over his shoulders and willingly committed .

Should anyone question his deeds , bringing balance to the world should be enough to keep their mouths shut .

Nodding to himself , the pureblood resumed walking towards his chamber and finally reached with his nimble fingers , attempting to twist the knob when a certain vision assaulted his senses .

The hand retreated . Kaname , with a bitter expression , gazed down at his own hands like he was staring at a criminal .

 _No .._ The brunette shook his head , adamant and confident .

If one would honestly trace the root of all evil , then one conclusion would be reached . It was all Rido's fault . And now they were all paying the heaviest price .

Yes .. The world had to suffer the consequences , to reap the fruits of awakening an ancestor .

Eyes darkening in apathy , kaname regained his usually cold demeanor and twisted the door knob , mind still wandering .

He must have been too distracted and preoccupied by his own thoughts if he couldn't notice his sister's presence until his eyes landed on her figure , still and peaceful as she slept on his bed .

He spent few moments just standing by the door frame , gazing at her all the while struggling against his raging thoughts , oblivious to the way the bed shifted ever so slightly .

Eventually and slowly , Kaname started approaching the four poster bed , smiling a bit when he finally sat down next to the princess . What he didn't see coming was how she suddenly sprang up as soon as he brushed a strand of her chocolate brown hair .

" Oni-san " Hesitant , fragile and soft , yet filled with warmth , her voice echoed about the walls of the room astonishing him for the second time .

_She was awake all along ? How could he have not noticed ?_

" I must have been too distracted to notice you being awake or you must have incredibly sharpened your stealthiness . " Teased the elder as he lightly flicked Yuki's forehead making her pout which in turn made him chuckle . He was honestly surprised to find her in his room . Even after reawakening , she preferred to stay in the day dorm most of the time . A part of him fluttered in hope at that .

" Why are you still up ? Ha ? "

" .. I don't know .. "

Something about the way she said it told him she didn't just mean sleeping .

_I honestly don't know anything .. I don't know what I want anymore ._

Pursing his lips and putting on a delicate smile only reserved for his little Yuki , Kaname resumed brushing her fringe and hoarsely whispered " That's fine then ."

She didn't miss the dull pang of hurt and disappointment that belied his blank gaze though .

" Oni-sa- "

" Shuush , Yuki . " He'd admonished lightly before placing his fingers on her lips . The touch , gentle and tender , seemed to beg her to stop , to drop it .

_Kiryuu Zero .. The manifestation of the darkest , gravest and most colossal of my sins to this day ._

 

 


	4. chapter four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname's biggest secret gets Revealed to none but Zero .

 

**Disclaimer : I do not own V.K !**

**Warning : I swear to God It is mentioned in the summary that this is a Kxz / Zxk fic . Yes , readers . It is kaze ! Or Zeka mostly - Even though I'm obsessed over bottom Zero - ( Story plot demands such ) Which means Yaoi / BL / BoyxBoy or whatever you wanna call it . So if you don't like that , don't proceed .**

**Some of the events in this fic may and may have not occurred in the actual Manga . And some may have been twisted to match the story's plot .**

**The line breaks indicate a change of time , pov or both . It may also signify a scene that occurred simultaneously ( or not ) .**

**Italics indicate a flashback or inner feelings .**

**Last but not least , there's a long chapter ahead , Enjoy ! PWC !**

… **.. VK …..**

 

* * *

 

 

" What's wrong , Yuki-chan ? " Cross had asked as he watched his adoptive daughter sip on her coffee , forlorn darkness dancing in her eyes .

He didn't know whether the question went by unnoticed or if she'd actually heard it but chose to ignore it . Either ways , he could already taste the bitter atmosphere rolling off her in waves .

The retired hunter would be lying if he said he hadn't expected that .. But well .. he'd hoped her mood would brighten up as soon as they arrived there and ordered some coffee .

He was honestly taken aback when she came to his office and suggested going out for coffee hiding behind the excuse of boredom since Kaname's inner circle were out on a mission , kaname himself was having a meeting replacing Takuma who seemed to be more than happy to handle some Level Es than attend a meeting as he was now the head of the vampires council .

That was her excuse when in truth , she wanted , no needed to spend some time with her fathe- with her guardian .

The ache slowly growing inside of her was getting too much to tolerate .. She'd honestly believed it would end up driving her mad . She felt so .. She needed guidance .. And the only one available now was Cross .

There was Zero of course .. But he wasn't an option . She'd sensed his presence in the stable but couldn't bring herself to disturb his sleep .. After all , that's how he usually spent hs time there . Though it was obviously not just a matter of sleep .. She didn't have enough courage to face him just then .

" You look like a country in a state of political unrest . " The soft voice echoed about , this time snapping her out of her blurry haze . The metaphor was meant to come off as playful but cross quickly regretted it when he saw her smile weakly , saddened , agreeing .

" I've realized that being clueless and kept in the dark is actually better . " Finally opening up , Yuki started speaking as she traced the rim of her cup , eyes never meeting her guardian's . The thing that worried cross even more than before .

Yes , she's changed . Yes , he was aware . However , some part of him wished she'd never have to go through the pain of regaining her memories .

Unfortunately , he was in no position to deny her that right .. No matter how painful , she'd had the right to know . Was it worth it though ? All of those years , he was just buying her some time , delaying the inevitable until the danger , the threat was eliminated .

Now everything he'd been carefully building his whole life had come crashing down before his eyes and he was powerless to change any of it .. No longer could he walk into the kitchen and enjoy being eccentric with his adoptive kids . No longer could he walk in and find Zero teasing Yuki . No longe-

" Now I don't know where I stand anymore .. " She'd confessed , her eyes gradually widening like she was left in a dark corner , alone , struggling against the worst of her nightmares . Everything about her screamed of hesitance , terror and emotional distress it physically hurt to see her like that .

" In a way , I feel like Zero .. Never whole .. I feel like I'm constantly struggling against both sides of myself , neither willing to yield .. " Her voice trembled and nearly cracked as she gazed at her lap trying to hold back her tears and make herself look smaller . If only she could ..

Cross bit his lips and balled his fist till the knuckles turned a deathly white .

It broke his heart to see her like that , as if she was still caught in that phase of denial .. When she first got attacked , assaulted by those nightmares of her pureblood life .

He'd wanted to comfort her but the words died on his tongue as he realized he had nothing to say .. nothing would ever be enough to ease her pain .. And that hurt - immensely -.

He could only offer a listening ear , understanding , relating to her pain in a way . He'd come to the conclusion that if such was the only thing he could do for her then he was not going to think twice about giving it , generously and endlessly .

Though a question throbbed in his head .

_For how long was he gonna watch the people he cared about suffer so much ?_

 

… **..… VK …**

 

Zero had been lying on hay when white lily decided it was the perfect time to munch on his hair like usual , snapping him out of his much needed nap , sadly .

" Argh ! Someone is trying to get some rest here , lily ! " He'd exclaimed , feeling extremely annoyed at that moment in particular . Like seriously ! At least allow me some sleep , universe !

But the look lily gave him managed to tone down his irritation . It was like those puppy eyes a moment then the ' I don't know what you're talking about . I didn't do that ' look the other .

" Jeez ! such a diva you are . " The hunter sighed softly as he ruffled his own hair then attempted to lie down again and would have resumed sleeping if it weren't for a certain cold sensation around his chest making itself known .

Confused , he blinked and reached inside his coat , fingers coming in contact with a cold metallic accessory . But It was not the first time he noticed that . He'd just preferred to ignore it in a futile attempt , trying to shrink his countless troubles , trying to keep his curiosity at bay .

Almost Instantly , his mind flashed back to that night .

_He'd been injured and drained of energy when she found him , Sarah Shirabuki ._

_And like any other pureblood , she decided to strike a deal with him , claiming she was privy to one secret that would turn his life upside down , quite literally ._

_Of course she was smart enough to reveal only fragments of that earth shattering piece of information by handing him a beautiful sterling silver rose pendant that used to hang over her neck ._

_It looked almost transparent and thoroughly fascinated the hunter though he would die before admitting it ._

_He'd secretly admired jewellery , .. perhaps ' obsessed over ' would be the right term .. The ear piercings he had on were not only for show after all . Over the years , he'd grown into the habit of purchasing lots of silver accessories . It was just inevitable . He'd tried resisting the urge but quickly learned such thing only made it worse and soon gave up the fight . It was like some kind of disorder , in his eyes ._

_The situation he was forced on back then was not much better . He knew he'd rather die before accepting a ' gift ' from yet a third pure blood . Sara , however , seemed ready to manipulate him if need be though he found that extremely ridiculous ._

_No pureblood had the pleasure of dominating him , not even Kuran . He'd bared his fangs and openly disrespected the bastard far too many times and was more than ready to do the same with Sara or any other pureblood ._

_And disrespect he showed ._

_It was not a pleasant memory when her icy blue orbs pierced into his amethyst ones but he held her gaze , recalling the time he'd held Maria Kurenai close to him pointing bloody rose towards her chest all the while clutching a few strands of silken silver locks much the same as his own ._

_And suddenly it dawned on him , that he was far too involved with females , somehow always ending up in close contact despite not wishing for anything to do with them ._

_He honestly didn't know why they couldn't leave him the hell alone . the hunter merely wished to spend the rest of his short and volatile ex human life hunting the race he was born and raised to kill despite becoming.. No despite having been turned into one ._

_It was asking for too much , he knew . Especially when he could no longer feel nothing but disdain from his own kind and was met with an equally degrading animosity from the other race . He couldn't care any less about vampires though . Zero definitely did not wish to be accepted among them because that would finalize the simple truth he refused to believe and fought against for the longest time - that he'd become one of them - ._

_Zero didn't even consider adding humans to the equation due to obvious reasons . He was already far from that . Way too far to his liking ._

_It's moments like these that he found himself astonished . He couldn't comprehend why his twin would wish to take his place , desperately desiring to be the one bitten by Shizuka ._

_It befuddled him beyond belief .._

_Ichiru had always been an enigma but Zero chose to disregard it . He 'd preferred to protect the way ichiru looked in his eyes rather than stress himself trying to interpret what belied those lilac orbs of his twin , so similar yet so different , Ichiru's has a wintry feel to them , making it second nature for Zero to associate anything related to that time of the year with his late younger twin ._

_Ichiru's seemed to constantly have an edge of indescribable , inconceivable depth of sorrow .. Zero could almost touch the intolerable pain and heavily anguished streaks in his twin's eyes .. But that was it . He was always so close but not quite - limbs barely touching the surface of grief that was Ichiru's pain - ._

_In a way , it was Zero's fault . And up till now , he could still recognize the feeling of guilt gnawing at his insides whenever his twin crossed his mind . And to live with it , he vowed ._

_If it was the last thing he could do to take some of Ichiru's pain away , to feel the same , to make up for the lack of being a better brother , Zero was more than willing to spend the rest of his agonizing life paying the price for his deeds , denying Ichiru his simple right of leading a peaceful , normal and healthy life ._

_The hunter , however , was soon snapped out of his depressive thoughts when Sara's voice seeped into his mind pulling him out of his misery . Quite ironic , ha ?_

_What business did she have with him again ?_

_Oh .. right ._

_A deal ._

_An exchange of secrets with control . However , she could have been lying for all he knew . After all , isn't that what purebloods excelled at ? Manipulating a situation to their liking ?_

_What if she wasn't ? A voice whispered , curious , doubtful and exploring ._

_Once again , Zero found himself in the center of an active volcano , a war between two purebloods , one of them staying constant whilst the other party frequently changed ._

_At first it was Kuran and Shizuka , though Zero had to admit he was deeply involved that time in particular ._

_then it was Rido's turn ._

_Now Sara .._

_Seriously ! Do purebloods have nothing better to do than seek each other's throat ?_

_However , it was a lot different with Sara's case ._

_Even though she was completely sure that no one would refuse such offer , she still preferred to reveal the rest after making sure Kiryuu had gotten her blood thus forging a bond with her and ripping apart the one he had with Kuran which meant ruining the brunette pureblood's plans ._

_For the hunter , he'd be free of the master/slave bond he was forced on by Kuran Kaname . A win win situation at best ._

_However , she could never , not even in a million years , expect that the silverette would blatantly turn down her offer ._

" _Foolish boy ! " she'd nearly hissed out back then ._

" _You don't even understand what am offering ! "_

_His rejection seemed to rile her up more than he'd anticipated though maybe he should have expected no less . A pureblood having her plans ruined is nothing short of having a death wish . But that was okay . He'd lost count of the many times he'd signed his own death certificate after all ._

_However and even after his refusal , she never took her necklace back from him , partly knowing that he would never figure out the mystery without her and partly hoping for it to intrigue him at some point ._

_Little did she know , she wouldn't be there to witness it - her glorious plan coming to fruition - ._

_Leaving behind only her words , the pureblood met her demise sooner than anyone had expected , by the hands of Kuran , directly or not ._

_The fact that he did not physically do it himself doesn't change the fact he was after her life . And that he succeeded in accomplishing it ._

_However , the brunette pureblood couldn't have known that his victory came a little bit too late . Sara seemed to have etched her mark in history when she confronted a certain silver haired hunter one day ._

' _You're going to need me to find out , a part of me to be precise , my memories .' Those were Sara's last words spoken to Zero before she vanished leaving him speechless ._

 

 **…..** **VK …**

 

A certain pureblood paced back and forth in her chamber in the moon dorm , passing by the mirror and stopping when she caught her own reflection .

She would never get used to it .. the long hair , the look in her eyes . She was no longer the same ..

Not the innocent human girl anymore ..

In fact , her whole figure and features served as nothing but a painful reminder of her parents , her mother especially ..

She could still it recall it so vividly ..

_The time they gathered in the room and kaname started telling a story of a beautiful rose he'd come across .. She'd been excited but he looked sad , for her sake .. His expression shifted into a bittersweet one as he addressed their parents asking them if they were just going to keep Yuki locked in the mansion forever ._

_She had no problem with it though . As long Kaname - Nii san came back home and told her stories , as long as they were all by her side , she couldn't ask for more .._

Hot tears rained down her cheeks as she saw white dotting her vision the more she drowned in those memories .

 _Her mother suddenly took her out of the room and away from Kaname then gently guided her into another room where she kneeled down and started apologizing before crimson ran down her face and everything went black_ .

Child or not , human or not .. somehow , she always ended up being a burden to those around her , exposing them to danger .. No not just danger .. She'd killed her parents .. She really had .. If it weren't for her existence , none of that would have happened .

Face scrunched up in pain , the kuran princess gripped her white dresser as if it were a pillar , seeking to root herself , to keep her balance .

But she saw garnet instead of white .

Stepping away as the room started spinning before her , Yuki gasped and nearly stumbled over her own legs .

Crimson rivulets sluggishly streamed down the walls gathering and pooling on the floor only to start leaking through the edge of the wooden dresser , cupboard and everywhere .

Yuki visibly shook thrashing her head right and left then clutching it as she panted and squeezed her eyes shut , trying to block it all out .

It's been a long time since her reawakening yet those hallucinations did not stop .. They never have ..

She's just gotten better at hiding them ..

The princess crumbled down to the floor drowning in her tears . Her cries got louder and louder as she kept covering her face and doubled over , letting out the flood of anguish she'd held inside of her lest she ended up worrying those she cared about ..

And for a moment , she felt so utterly alone .. No one understood her .. No one should .. Being a pureblood meant never exposing your vulnerable side to anyone ..

She couldn't fit .. The night class in general treated her formally out of respect .. Whereas Kaname's inner circle didn't exactly get along with her .

She would never show it , but she felt so lonely .. Even kaname himself felt so out of her reach .. She didn't know if she was the one stopping herself from getting closer to him in fear of hurting his feelings even more or if it was just Kaname being himself ..

She just felt like there was a wall between them .

The night before provided a perfect example ..

When she voiced out her hesitance , Kaname's face instantly spoke volumes of the pain he truly felt but perfectly concealed under a mask of placid understanding .

She felt like the more she tried to fix her mistake , her words' choice, the more he slipped further away from her touch , gaze and world .

It seemed like every single thing she did ended up making him feel unwanted or something ..

She couldn't communicate without hurting him because of that goddamn wall !

The same applied to Zero .. and Sayori ..

Speaking of which and ironically .. for once , she was actually grateful for being alone in the moon dorm .

Earlier when she left with her adoptive father , Seiren was there , like a shadow , prepared to protect the pureblood princess with her life if it came down to it . Kaname must have given her orders to do that , thinking Yuki might do something clumsy once again and get herself into trouble .

But now the pureblood princess couldn't sense her anymore .. Maybe Kaname had sent her on a mission after making sure that Yuki was safe .. Or maybe she was actually close , skillfully hiding her presence ..

It didn't really matter .

All Yuki wanted to do now was drag her feet to bed and surrender to a lifetime of sleep . Maybe then the terrible ache residing in her chest would dull away .

 

**…... VK …**

 

**Meanwhile :**

 

Somewhere in town , Three figures stood in the middle of a horde of Level Es .

At some point , a certain blonde haired noble got far too conceited for his own good and the cost was a powerful sharp and lethal 27 centimeters long claw deeply embedded in his abdomen .

" Hanabusa ! " Ruka exclaimed in shock and concern .

No matter how irritating her cousin might be , she definitely was not going to sit back and watch when a filthy level E feasted on him .

Before the eyes could catch , the caramel haired female rushed to her cousin's side and sent a powerful bout of energy towards the demented creature letting Hanabusa free in the process . The noble dropped to his feet and nearly collapsed if it weren't for Ruka holding him the last moment .

Unfortunately , Akatsuki was too preoccupied dealing with another group of Level Es . The thing that made him growl in frustration . _What the fuck was going on ?_ One moment they had everything under control like any other mission , and the next everything went downhill .

Luckily , there seemed to be no danger near the other two . Though maybe the threat now was not the level Es alone .

Ruka 's eyebrows knitted as she helped her cousin up or at least tried to .

The said female gasped , panicking when she found herself on the ground with Hanabusa on top of her , eyes glowing crimson and fangs elongating as he neared her neck .

" Hana- " Her words got interrupted as she realized she couldn't use her powers to control the blonde's mind She didn't have time to and even if she could , she had no power . The fight had been a long one and ended up draining her .

 

**…... VK …**

 

Few hours later , back in the moon dorm :

Kaname's inner circle gathered in the grand living room , staring wordlessly at a certain blonde noble .

" Your blood tasted like banana split . " Hanabusa blurted out after a moment of deliberation . Which was a complete contradiction ! Only Hanabusa could do that .

The blonde frowned , expression confused as he analyzed the whole situation , trying to comprehend the fact he'd just complimented his cousin .

 _The nerve of him !_ Ruka seethed . _He had the audacity to say such thing after nearly draining her . Did he just fucking compare her to a freaking banana split ?!_

" Say that again and I'll personally have YOUR banana split in two ! " The caramel haired noble twisted the words back at her cousin , very much aware of the crude turn their conversation took yet unable to stop herself from lashing out at the moron of a cousin she had .

As soon as the words escaped her lips , everyone present tensed and grew silent as her warning drew different reactions from the others .

Akatsuki pursed his lips , suppressing a chuckle or at least trying to . Surprisingly the one who didn't make an effort resisting their laughter was Senri and eventually Rima which was a joke in itself .

Takuma , merely amused , stood by the staircase as he surveyed the whole scene .

The person addressed or well the victim , had his lips parted , never expecting such comeback . But soon Hanabusa processed the fact he just got insulted and made fun of . And that he was not going to tolerate !

" Hey ! what did you just sa- " Rising to his feet , the blonde exclaimed but Ruka was already making her way upstairs totally ignoring him and now he just looked like an idiot .

" What did I do ? Would she have liked it if I said her blood tasted bad ?! " Demanded Hanabusa , flailing his arms around .

_Seriously ! he'd never understand how her mind works ._

Akatsuki shook his head and smiled then approached his troublesome cousin putting a supportive hand on the shorter male's shoulder then made his way upstairs .

" We should call it a night . " The ginger haired noble mocked as he ascended the stairs , earning himself nods of approval from everyone except of Hanabusa who sat in a corner brooding over the dose of humiliation he got himself and over something nice !

Akatsuki was strolling down the hallway when a door to his right slammed open , almost startling him . However , he'd seen it coming due to his superior senses .

" Ruka ? "

The noble in question looked surprised like she didn't expect him there . _How laughable ._

He would have rolled his eyes but it was not like him and something else . Widening in alert , amber eyes caught the action in slow motion . Ruka seemed to sway and her legs gave out . She nearly fell if it weren't for him holding her in place .

" Didn't you take your blood tablets ? " voice a bit harsher than intended , the male questioned as he finally realized the only reason why his female cousin would nearly faint like that .

" I was too irritated to .. " Ruka whispered , kind of ashamed , as she sought to keep her balance instead of carelessly pulling away despite wanting to . It just felt too comfortable having such broad shoulders and taut muscles hold her still .

It was the truth though .. She was still fuming up over Hanabusa's actions . Why did he have to be so troublesome ?

 _Like I'm gonna believe that ._ Akatsuki truly ended up rolling his eyes that time . _More like you couldn't stand the idea of it . You couldn't imagine how your sacred blood , meant for ' lord ' kaname's taste buds , got wasted on Hanabusa , more or less .. It didn't really got to waste_ _though considering how he truly needed it_.

Sighing in exasperation , the fiery haired noble pulled away but still kept his hands on Ruka's shoulders when something dawned on him . He'd initially intended on giving up but somehow a new spark got ignited at their proximity .

And suddenly he found himself blurting out " Would you rather have mine ? "

 _Maybe it was time he switched tactics . He'd been the gentleman all along when really , some aggressiveness might just do the trick_.

_Time to sweep Ruka off her feet ._

As if those words and that tone were not shocking enough , Akatsuki had to astonish Ruka even more when he inched closer and pinned her against the wall with just a gaze , with his entire body , never holding her hands up .

The poor caramel haired noble shrank against the wall , not expecting such escalation , in the least of terms .

The offer itself was not strange .. But the way he'd suggested it and the sensuality he'd employed in approaching her .. It left tingles moving up her spine .

" Akatsuki , what are y- "

But she didn't have the chance to complete her sentence when he broke out into a fit of laughter . And suddenly , realization hit her like a brick wall .. Was it .. a prank ?

" You should really stop spending so much time with Hanabusa . His ridiculous genes are rubbing off on you . " Face flushed , Ruka exclaimed as she pushed him away and got back in her room , slamming it in the same manner she used few moments ago .

Outside , Akatsuki sighed at his own cowardice .

 _Why did he have to be so .. insecure and unsure of himself .._?

Meanwhile , Ruka sagged down the door .

_What the hell ?_

_Why did she feel disappointed ?_

_What were you waiting for , silly ?_

Her eyes widened and a hand rushed upwards to cover her mouth preventing a gasp from escaping .

 _Could it be ?_ Somewhere in her subconsciousness , she yearned for him to make the first move ?

 _No .. No .. No .._ Shaking her head in denial , Ruka didn't stop until she felt lightheaded ..

_What would that make me ?_

It's either I'm a very cruel attention seeker or I really do somehow .. harbour .. some feelings towards Akatsuki yet adore Lord kaname ..

_What the hell do I feel ? Am I .. Would I be leading him on if I confronted him about it ?_

 

… **... VK …**

 

It was around 7 o'clock when Zero decided to take a walk around the campus , not exactly patrolling , his mind was far too preoccupied by unyielding memories and thoughts to be focusing on his perfect duties in any case .

After quite some time , he'd reached the fountain and ended up blocking out the sound of water rushing down , almost as if he was too consumed by his thoughts to be distracted by any sound , scent or presence .

Almost though .

When he sensed a familiar aura , Zero tensed , a natural reaction of his hunter instincts . But soon relaxed when he realized it was Ichijo .

Unconsciously , the hunter kept moving forward , eyes darting here and there , judging , scanning and taking in his surroundings despite the fact he knew every inch in the school like the back of his hands .

It was ruined after the battle with Rido , yea . But it was rebuilt in the same fashion , making it easier to fall into nostalgia as one sauntered his way around the school grounds .

" Are you just going to stand there like a ghost ? " Voice playful yet laced with a hint of vague emptiness , Takuma asked before slowly turning to face the hunter standing a few steps away .

The silverette chuckled softly , though it seemed more like a half -hearted scoff .

The thing that had Takuma perplexed , amused even . What ensued though was tenfold surprising .

Emerald eyes patiently scanned the hunter as he inched closer and flopped down next to the noble , seemingly confused by his own actions .

" Is the world coming to an end soon ?! " Mirthlessly , The blonde exclaimed , partly grateful for the distraction , the momentary respite he was granted in the form of the hunter's unexpected company .

Zero Kiryuu was understandably the last person Takuma had expected to be sitting with like this admiring the starry night . Actually , he would have never expected the hunter to be in the list of people he'd end up sitting with in the first place .

" Maybe ."

the fact Kiryuu was casually responding back made the answer sound even more probable .

 _Maybe the world is really coming to an end soon_ .. Takuma ruefully concluded . _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad ._ After all , he was already struggling every day and night against an existential crisis ever since her departure ..

Feeling he'd intruded on a far too personal moment , Zero started unconsciously rubbing the necklace hanging around his neck whilst Takuma resumed gazing at the moonlit sky , mind lost in waves of memories and reflecting .

For quite some time , they just sat like that enjoying the rare moment of comfortable silence , without having to talk or put on a facade , without having to be on alert or whatnot .

That was until something hit home . The silverette gasped as he finally realized who would help him figure everything out . And that was none other than the blonde currently sitting next to him . What a coincidence !

It was no secret that Takuma was the only one close enough to the blonde pureblood before things got out of hand . She'd kept him by her side for reasons everyone knew of . But one thing nobody knew was how close those two had actually gotten during the time they spent together .

However , it definitely ran deeper than anyone had expected if the way Takuma became a shell of the man he was after her death was any indication .

And Zero , in a moment of selfishness , was determined to find everything out if it meant bringing him closer to his goal .

In a matter of seconds , Zero flipped the blonde vampire down , effortlessly straddling him .

Not expecting that , to say the least , Takuma tumbled down gasping as the silverette hovered over him effectively trapping his figure there , denying him escape .

The blonde's expression turned serious as he suddenly felt threatened . He'd naively presumed the hunter meant no harm when he came out of nowhere and just flopped down like they were childhood friends or something .

 _How foolish and absolutely unbecoming of me !_ The noble berated himself harshly .

He could have easily resorted to violence but the option didn't just seem to register in his mind at that moment . Unfortunately , that meant his only way out was , pathetically , his words and uncharacteristic glare .

" Kiryuu ! " Voice firm and chills-giving , Takuma exclaimed , trying to get up . Nonetheless , to no avail .

_What the hell was going on ? What was Kiryuu up to ?_

" I may be the most lenient of which , but am still a noble vampire . " warned the blonde as he made to get up but was once again halted , that time by the hunter's jaw-dropping choice of words .

" Senpai , I need you . "

Emerald eyes widened at that . _H..he couldn't have heard right .. He needed some more .. Elaboration_. Which soon came in a whisper from the male above him .

" I need your blood . I need your memories of her . " Zero confessed , all the while moving his hands , one of them caressing those golden strands - in a manner so natural it nearly shocked the hunter himself - and the other , resting on Takuma's rapidly beating heart . He supposed it was a way to get the noble to cooperate , trying to get him to relax ..

Entranced , as if under a spell , Takuma stilled and held his breath as he gazed at those lilac orbs up close , closest than ever before .

For a moment , he wondered if it was a charm of sorts but quickly dismissed the idea . The noble , after all , had been trained against mental aggression and that was no spell . That was simply Zero Kiryuu ensnaring him .

Gulping ever so softly , the blonde tried but couldn't take his eyes off the male above him , especially not after hearing that .

_Her .._

Now laden with grief , Takuma 's eyes narrowed and dimmed into the darkest shade of green possible .

_Her memories ? Why would Kiryuu need Sara's memories ?_

_The hunter needed his blood ?_

_How .. Why .. He'd die before acknowledging his vampire side .. And showing that to another vampire , a noble , one of Kaname's inner circle no less , came as a brutal shock ._

_Why .. What would reduce him to such state ?_

During the time Takuma pondered many issues and fought back many conflicted emotions , the hunter found it to be the perfect chance and descended down as he deemed it alright to proceed with his actions .

It felt foreign .. those words and actions altogether .. They felt so different , so not like himself yet Zero knew , deep inside , that he was doing the right thing . Something he should have done a long time ago but was putting on hold for reasons unknown to even himself .

Frozen yet somehow responsive , the noble unconsciously tilted his head , shivering as he felt Kiryuu's breath hovering over his neck . He felt scared , exposed and vulnerable .. He felt terrifyingly defenseless .. and not just physically .

That topic .. Bringing that topic up .. It was like the final chord coming undone in his bottled up emotions . And sadly Kiryuu seemed to know just what buttons to push . He'd successfully paralyzed Takuma into submission by those words alone .

Okay , he'd given blood to Shiki before but that was Shiki ! It was not abnormal .. It was not mind boggling .. It did not send his adrenaline rush skyrocketing to its climax .

Shaking to the core , Takuma heaved a deep breath and did his best not to hyperventilate as sharp unfamiliar fangs broke into his skin drawing blood , emotions and memories away from him , without his consent .. ?

No ..

He was not so sure anymore ..

The hunter sucked in a deep breath from his nose as he started feeding on the noble under him , eventually squeezing his eyes shut as he was granted permission to all that was Takuma .

Instinctively , the blonde did the same , screwing his eyes shut as if predicting a car crash and in a way it felt strangely similar . Reliving those memories felt just like an accident , abrupt , unexpected and brutally harsh .

A lone teardrop escaped the noble's closed eyes , making its way down his cheeks and finally meeting exotic strands of silver .

Takuma's blood was not as sweet , intoxicating or fulfilling as Kuran's or Yuki's but it still beat the tablets . Though the hunter would never admit that .

He was already having an internal battle , warring against his inner conflict .. His beliefs , his restraints , his morals ..

He tried to convince himself it was not the act of feeding that he so desperately wished for and craved but even that seemed like a terribly lame excuse to his own ears and soon he found himself surrendering to his inner beast .

The monster wanted answers and it was going to get them , regardless of the means . And while at it , why not enjoy a much needed meal ?

Some part of him cringed and nearly pulled at that away but the other persisted and tightened its hold on him forcing the feeding session to last longer and longer .

It was some time later that Takuma felt the hunter pull away . He'd faintly processed the events taking place and even though too drained , he felt good . It felt nice to let it all out in a nonverbal way ..

Everything seemed to swim before his eyes but he welcomed it , not realizing that at some point , he'd brought the hunter closer to him and loosely gripped his hair as much as the situation allowed him .

As time ticked by , none of them said or did anything for that matter . And really , they needn't .

Takuma opted to move but couldn't find enough energy to do so so he just succumbed to a fleeting moment of stillness , waiting for the hunter to get up .

But it seemed like the other male had no intention of doing so any time any soon .

Too shaken up by what he'd seen , Zero remained on top of the blonde for more solid five minutes , trying to gather his bearings and regain mastery of his body that went numb with the shock of what he'd lived in a matter of few minutes .

He'd seen Takuma's memories of Sara , the noble's emotions and perceptions of her . It started with sympathy that soon changed into empathy , for whom exactly , Zero didn't know anymore .

But he knew one thing for sure .. Sara now coursed in his veins .. Her mentality , her core , her true self .

_A part of me ._

Her words from back then echoed in Zero's head with gruesome clarity making him choke back a gasp of realization as he slowly pulled away .

The necklace glowed an intense fuschia and as if not already traumatized enough , Zero found himself once again assaulted by yet another flood of memories , that time directly derived from the deceased pureblood 's memories .

Now that he could relate to her , now that he'd reached a certain level of knowing her thanks to Takuma , the necklace finally accepted him and allowed him access to Sara's entire life .

Imagine living a pureblood's life , thousands and thousands of years , in a matter of seconds , every memory , every scene , every emotion , all that scheming and plotting .. Zero literally felt like his soul was slowly leaving his body . Torturously slow .

" K.. Kiryuu ? " Lying on his side , Takuma whispered hoarsely when he noticed the hunter acting strange . But was met with no response . It was like he never existed to begin with .

Zero heaved a deep breath as he clutched the necklace with one hand and started digging the other in grass , eyes stretched open and mouth parted spilling a stream of incoherent trembling letters .

He felt the exact same agony when the transformation process started , only difference now was it being tenfold excruciating.

But that was not all .

Through the myriad of random memories , scenes and faces , Zero let out a silent scream as he witnessed one scene in particular , from Sara's perspective .

She'd idolized Shizuka Hio yet held an immense amount of critique towards her . Sara believed she would grow up to perfect what the mad blooming princess couldn't . she believed she would succeed and claim the throne as hers . Though Shizuka desired no throne , just her beloved . The thing that Sara found rather unbecoming of a pureblood .

Holding the reigns , standing on the top of the food chain , purebloods should never allow anyone to cloud their purpose or stand in their way , shaping a vulnerable spot and making them an easy prey .

Purebloods should only think of themselves . Sara loved no one , trusted no one , depended on no one . And expected all purebloods to do the same not deviate .

Her beliefs however , did not stop her from admiring Shizuka in a dark and twisted sense . The mad blooming princess had that uncanny ability after all , bewitching anyone by just a mere mention of her existence . It ran in the family . And Sara as a child , couldn't help but feel intrigued . She wanted to see more of those rosy pastel eyes , those demented void and saddened orbs , that depth , that world .

That's why she'd fallen into the habit of sneaking all the way to the cell in which Shizuka was imprisoned , every night , just admiring from afar .

However , everything changed when one night , she did the same , masked her aura , scent and any trace of her being there only to witness a certain dark haired child conversing with the silver haired pureblood , promising to free her on one condition .

The child was a pureblood as well , his features those of a very familiar bloodline . Dark brown locks . Eyes a blend of chocolate brown and shocking garnet . Intentions cruel and unremorseful . Consequences irreversible .

The boy knowing just how dangerous a maddened pureblood was - suffering the loss of her loved one - , without an ounce of hesitation , freed her allowing Shizuka a chance to avenge her beloved yet commanding that she turned one of the kiryuu twins , seeking a chain reaction , a spiral of vengeance that would one day put an end to all purebloods . The parasitic existence that should be eliminated , in his point of view . But that of course was something for him to keep .

From a third person's perspective though , it all seemed like a game of chess to the Kuran child .

A hunter child would eventually grow up into the perfect pawn , the ultimate knight , the shield of his precious sister . The weapon he'd later on point towards Rido .

Shoving the necklace off his chest with force enough to tear it apart and send it rolling all over the grass , Zero staggered his way to his feet , eyes darkening in various conflicted emotions , shock , betrayal , grief … and many .. many .. more ..

Detached from the world , he wandered aimlessly , unable to comprehend what he'd seen .

His vision swam and darkened , much like the rest of his world as he replayed that scene ..

There was just no way ..

Kuran .. Kuran was an asshole yes .. His enemy , yes . A manipulative pureblood , the devil's incarnate .. But that .. That .. was too felonious , even for a devil ..

Zero felt his blood boil yet run cold at the same time .. He felt suffocated and had to gasp for his breath yet he couldn't seem to draw in the amount of oxygen he so desperately needed to function properly .. He wanted to sink to the ground and break down , scream his lungs out but only managed a whimper instead ..

Everything whirled in his head in full speed rendering him speechless , leaving him to fend for himself after such traumatic discovery . And oh he couldn't ..

The next few hours passed in a slow mundane pace as he locked himself in his room , caught in a phase of denial at first , re-formulating his plans and re-evaluating his options .

Vision blurred , eyes stinging and heart bleeding , Zero remained on bed , gaze trained on one random spot ever since he reached his room .

Nodding to himself , the hunter sniffed and vowed to seek revenge .

_It would be so easy . Kuran would play right into his hand actually , providing that every move was done accurately . There would be no need to rush unless the devil himself decided to pay him a visit or make the first move ._

This time though , Zero would make sure to flip the whole chessboard over his enemy .

After all , he'd learned from the best .

_From now on-wards , let it fall on me and my enemies ._

He knew his own vengeance may come back and bite him but it would be worth it . _Yes . it would be_.. He kept telling himself .

At first the idea of seeking revenge was just that . An idea .. Something he'd ended up thinking of out of spite , like a child sulking .. He had his reasons back then but now .. Now he had the ultimate right to put his plan into action .

Admiring the blue veins crossing purple ones that laid under his excellent vampire vision , the hunter narrowed his eyes and rubbed his wrist absently , mind working full speed crafting the perfect retaliation , scheming every move , every step , every inch .. Every minute detail . Every maneuver .

With one last glance at his own wrist , the silverette pursed his lips in a tight line and threw his head back , exhaling softly .

It has been quite some time since he last fed and soon the inevitable curse , the hunger , would rear its ugly head snatching the one thing he desperately held on to for the longest time - control - . However and soon enough , he was going to get it back .

Swiftly , his eyes slid shut in a relaxed manner , giving him a serene vibe , a stark contrast to the brewing storm he felt on the inside .

His mind buzzed with an echo so persistent and repetitive ..

 **His** name .

There was just no fucking way .. Why ?! His whole life .. Almost his whole life was part of that monster's scheme .. He was being used from day one and spent those years oblivious to all of it ..

It seemed like he never had a choice in anything , he knew . but never in his life did he guess that it started too early . That early .. All by the hands of none other than Kuran Kaname .

To think that the bastard had the audacity to act regal and parade around like a fucking peacemaker , deceiving everyone , especially Yuki , into thinking he was a harmless savior or a loving brother , a civil leader .

Just thinking of it made Zero feel sick to his stomach .

But he curbed his emotions and willed himself to stay calm and not jump out of bed shoving a dagger in the bastard's face it would not be recognizable any more .

_Damn he'd love that though . It would bring him great satisfaction !_

_Hold your horses , Zero ._ The hunter told himself , trying to calm down to the best of his ability .

 _He would not expose himself just yet . It would spoil the fun of it . Instead , he'd drag it for as long as he possibly could . Kuran was going to suffer a fate worse than death . He'd see to it_.

_Your days are coming to an end soon , Kuran ._

Promised Zero as he stretched over the bed and reached a file that sat atop his bedside table , movements too abrupt to signify a well composed state of mind . And who could blame him !

Hastily , he flipped it open and eyed the names on the list , settling on a certain one in particular . _This will do_ . he told himself as he tossed the file away and relaxed back on the headboard .

His hands started shaking nervously the more he envisioned his plan . It was , obviously , not a walk in the park .. But he would carry it out if it's the last thing he does . There was just no going back .

Drawing in a shuddery breath , the silver haired hunter decided to rest for a while , vaguely hoping that Takuma was smart enough to hide his scent that lingered on him after the feeding session . Of course , Zero himself had already done the same thing as soon as he reached his room .

Even though disoriented by shock , he was still wise enough to do that . Last thing he needed now was arousing suspicions about him and the blonde noble . It would be the first domino in his castle tumbling down before he even got to start the game .

And that was the last of his sober thoughts .

With each passing moment , he felt his eyelids getting heavier and soon surrendered to a world of numbness .. The moonlight hovered over his figure caressing his heart that has gone cold with grief , hoping to be the one alleviating his pain .

 

… **.** **VK …**

 

**Midnight :**

 

A very familiar presence made itself known snapping Zero's attention towards the windows .

 _All hail , Lord Kaname ._ The hunter inwardly mocked . Seconds later , a dark figure materialized in front of the said hunter .

Smirking , Zero allowed a trail of smoke to leave his lips . The eddy spiraled in the air before his eyes . He held the cigarette between his index and middle finger as he sat on bed in a casual manner , something he never did in the pureblood's presence .

Up till now , no word was exchanged , only garnet and amethyst gazes clashed with an intense ferocity enough to make anyone's hair stand up .

The hunter only watched as Kuran sent him questioning looks . His russet eyes seemed to be asking , wondering , surprised .

_Zero Kiryuu was not the smoking type after all .._

" Guess you do pick habits after all when you spend so much time with someone . " Kaname nonchalantly mocked as he relaxed against the open window , referring to the hunter's sensei , Toga Yagari .

Not appreciating those words , Zero scoffed before retorting back " Sensei lives for that which ironically and slowly would lead him to his own demise . I , on the other hand , rarely do it . Like a forbidden fruit every so often . " The hunter was not fond of explaining himself or justifying his actions and he most definitely was not thrilled about leading such conversation with Kuran but he wanted to make his point clear .

Sure enough , the bastard seemed to take the hint . And when he did , he frowned ever so slowly , almost imperceptibly .

The silverette looked so relaxed almost as if he was expecting him , eagerly waiting for such thing to happen , for the pureblood to show up . And if that was not alarming , then kaname didn't know what was .

Suddenly , he wished the hunter would act like usual , go about throwing insults or pointing bloody rose despite knowing how futile such thing was .

Why feel alarmed ? Because the way Kiryuu behaved right now felt disturbingly similar to a calm before the storm .

Yes Kiryuu had always loathed him for various reasons , one of them was his being a vampire , a pureblood at that , other reasons were too many to count . However , he had never pulled the trigger despite having more than one opportunity to do so .

Now though , a mortifying and thick aura glinted , rolling off him in waves . Kaname had a word for that . EVIL .

that was not right . Zero Kiryuu did not possess such darkness . Kaname narrowed his eyes at that . it was like standing before the devil himself . He'd have delved into the matter deeper , observing the whole situation , were it not for Kiryuu talking again .

" So what real business do you have here , Kuran-senpai ? Finally figured out you could not manipulate me ? That I won't be there at your beck and call ? " The hunter nearly spat the words . And a certain pureblood was not pleased at that . _Leave it to Kiryuu to make such word sound more like an insult than an honorific ._

" Do not flatter yourself , Kiryuu . I could bring you down to your knees in the blink of an eye , if I so wished . " Voice darkening with various undertones of maliciousness , Kaname warned , sending a message for the ex human to know his place .

He only came there to feed the impudent filth but the hunter just had to be the same ungrateful brat . If the choice was his , he wouldn't have gone through the pain of trying to get it into the hunter's thick head that he could just get this over with and take what he needed making it thousand times easier for both of them .

The only reason he started giving blood to Kiryuu was Yuki . In more ways than one .. Finalizing the creation of the ultimate weapon against Rido , thus protecting everyone from him on one hand and on the other , taking Yuki's feelings into consideration .

After all , if the hunter were to go insane and eventually hunted , no words would fit , no words could even begin to describe how such thing would make her feel . The thought of it alone left a bitter aftertaste in Kaname's consciousness . And the stupid hunter didn't even know how much meant to her .

How could he ! How could he have Yuki's heart and still claim it was in fact Kaname's ! Kiryuu had the nerve to feel bitter about that and shove it back in the pureblood's face , ignorantly thinking that Yuki wholeheartedly belonged to Kaname .

" Why not do it then ? " Provoked the silver haired hunter , thoroughly enjoying the effect of his words on the normally placid pureblood .

Kaname 's face remained emotionless but Zero knew he'd succeeded in riling him up - ruffling some feathers - . After all , he'd unfortunately spent enough time with the bastard to be able to read his expressions . No matter how concealed , the hunter could tell that he'd successfully gotten under the pureblood's skin .

_Oh , he'd seen nothing yet . There was more to come ._

" Ah , I will answer that . Because you can't have your precious Yuki witness that side of you more than necessary . " The hunter sneered swaying the hand holding the cigarette as he sent the other male a piercing gaze . He knew he'd hit the bull's eye when Kuran's expression shifted into a semblance of a scowl . But the smoldering look left his russet eyes as soon as it'd appeared . That moment though was all Kiryuu needed to bask in the bliss of his accomplishment . Tiny yes but an accomplishment nonetheless .

" I find it rather petulant of you to resort to such pathetic attempts to provoke me . " To his credit , the pureblood succeeded in concealing his anger and remained rather emotionless . Such thing only fueled the hunter's desire to say more .

" You beating around the bush only further confirms my words though . She might have accepted her vampire side but you still wish to remain the tamed beast in her eyes , right ? "

Zero smirked before further enraging the other male with his conclusions and tone altogether . The hunter then relaxed even more on bed as he took a breath of smoke before adding

" Or .. Maybe you are getting insecure and your obsession to control Yuki's world won't allow her close to me . You could have easily had Takuma relay the message though I wouldn't have agreed to come of course . That's beside the point though . Oh speaking of which .. I'm kind of wondering if Takuma actually heeds your command anymore . " Zero's face split into a sinister grin as soon as he concluded his magnificent speech . _Boy was he enjoying this !_

Deep inside , Kaname seethed . The ex human 's insolence was rapidly getting on his nerves . But he'd honestly tired out of smashing the boy against walls every time so he chose to stay calm .

If the kid honestly thought he was doing a good job provoking him then he had something else coming . Mind games , war of words .. you name it . Just pose a challenge then watch and learn . Kuran Kaname does not just lose and especially not to his own pawn .

Zero , observing the other vampire , inwardly snarled at that insufferable brat . It's not that he craved some action , getting shoved into a wall or something . No .

However , the satisfaction brought after watching some beastly emotion in those garnet eyes would have been worth it . He wanted Kuran to keep on showing his true self , the one not even Yuki managed to witness after reawakening . No one seemed to any ways .

And if that was the only thing Kuran prided himself in , then Zero would see to it that such control slowly ebbed away . He would tease and entice it out . He would make sure that Kuran got what he deserved , drinking from the very same glass , bitter and cold . After all , revenge is a meal better served cold .

_How brilliant ! The control you were using against me all this time would soon dwindle and leave your side . Let's see who would laugh the last , Kuran !_

_The first game has just started ._

Too bad the pureblood didn't seem to want that kind of game though . _Well , he was just going to have to play the other one_ , Zero nearly chuckled at that .

_Oh boy . This is going so smooth !_

Playtime over . ha ? Now it's time for some serious shit .

Cursing , a habit he would never grow out of apparently .

" Since you were kind enough to come all the way here and if it would make my mission easier then why the hell not ? " Drawled Zero as he put out his cigarette , voice suddenly shifting into a more alluring tone , touched with a fine coat of wickedness .

_Mission ?_

Kaname questioned himself inwardly , preferring to focus on that and not the way Kiryuu's figure sinuously approached his . The pureblood would never admit but he , for the briefest moment , tensed up in alert as the other male drew closer .

So dangerously close ..

" Let me repay your kindness . I'll be gentle , senpai . " In a voice too sultry to belong to a hunter addressing a vampire , Zero whispered against Kaname's ears making the latter blink in sheer confusion .

_Was Kiryuu on drugs ?_

_But he couldn't smell any alcohol on the younger .. Plus , his movements were precise - not those of someone drunk at all -_ .

If he didn't know better , he'd would have confused the person before his eyes for Kiryuu Ichiru . Only **he** had that twisted side with a thin veil of polite pretense laced about it . But this was no Ichiru .

This was Zero and Zero doesn't just act like that which meant something was off .. Something must have gone terribly wrong for the hunter to behave like that . What though ? Kaname had no idea . And that was enough to spoil his mood . Never mind the fact it had been getting worse the moment he got inside this room in the first place .

But he was given no time to ponder over that when a wet sensation registered in his brain , precisely around his neck .

Breath hitching , the pureblood nearly pulled away at the intrusion but stopped himself knowing how ridiculous such action would seem . Like he was taken aback when in fact he was the one to seek the hunter out .

He didn't want to give Kiryuu the satisfaction of appearing confused , lost and oblivious , unable to predict his opponent's next move . So he stood still , giving off a calm vibe despite feeling .. discomfited .. to say the least .

Cold fingers brushed the hair at the back of his head whilst a hand gently rest on his chest , astonishing him more than he cared to admit .

Okay .. He wasn't so sure he wanted Kiryuu to stop being himself , openly disrespecting those higher than him .. He didn't like the current one because he couldn't read him .

The brunette was too distracted now wondering what the hell happened to affect Kiryuu's demeanor like that . Too distracted to see beyond the deceitful act of the hunter's .

The moment those fangs broke into his skin , Kaname bit his lips immediately fisting the younger's hair but never pulling him away .

There was something about the way Kiryuu drew blood this time that made Kaname feel dizzy faster than expected .. He was not savage about it but he wasn't taking his time either .. Put simply , his pace was irregular .

Moreover , The manner in which he took continuous greedy gulps of that rich nectar appalled the pureblood to oblivion . Again , he was not as gruesome as he should be but he wasn't gentle about it either ..

All of those thoughts whirled about Kaname's head whilst the silverette resumed feeding , fingers drawing a random pattern as they swirled around Kuran's hair . He'd hummed in satisfaction at some point , the sound disturbing a certain brunette to no end . Like he needed more unusual observations tossed into the equation .

Normally , Kiryuu would die before showing how much he enjoyed drinking blood , especially his . _So what the hell was wrong ?_

Even though he'd taken enough , the hunter kept feasting on the pureblood till he was sure the amount left would be enough for Kuran to walk and such but not fend for himself .

He knew the pureblood would follow him , curious about such mission . He knew Kuran must have already figured out the nature of it .

After all , a hunter of Zero Kiryuu's caliber would not be given a random mission . It must be a big one . And currently , there was only one suspect both races strove to capture .

Which meant anything could happen .

Kiryuu was a powerful and unique hunter yes but he was not impeccable . If something were to happen to him , yuki would be sad . Furthermore , there would be no one qualified enough to protect her should anything happen and Kaname was not there to do it himself .

Thus reaching a final conclusion , the pureblood decided to follow the said hunter . Just in case .

He planned to be there and watch from afar should any emergency arise , not realizing that he was playing right into Kiryuu's hands by doing so .

The hunter had already envisioned all of that and smirked wickedly against the pureblood's neck . He knew the brunette would not think twice about keeping him alive regardless of the consequences . He knew Kuran might even end up following him without regaining his energy - compensating for the lack of it by consuming some blood tablets - . which meant blood loss and a vulnerable kuran . _How appetizing !_

 

_You are far too dependent on me , Kuran . And such will be your downfall ._

 

 

 


End file.
